JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Transportation officials said crews are moving as fast as they can to fix a giant hole that opened in the road Wednesday on Beach Boulevard, just west of Hodges Boulevard.
Maintenance workers expect the repairs to take less than a week.
The right-turn lane of eastbound Beach Boulevard at Falcon Ridge collapsed Wednesday afternoon.
Officials said a caved-in 48-inch drainage pipe caused the void to open up and that it happened suddenly because of recent heavy rains. No one was injured.
The opening is about 33 feet long and 18 feet wide and estimated to be about 20 feet deep.
IMAGES: Road collapse along Beach Boulevard
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office barricaded that lane, the right-hand travel lane and the sidewalk from traffic while dozens of workers with heavy equipment attempted to make temporary repairs Wednesday. JSO said the closure was expected to last about eight hours.
Transportation officials said a single lane might need to remain closed as crews completely repair the void, which should take less than a week as long as the weather cooperates.
People who drive in the area told News4Jax that the traffic is already a headache, but the repairs have made it even worse.
"Like 15-20 minutes wait extra," driver Reggie Young said. "Hopefully it does not happen again."
FDOT said it's looking into reports that people living nearby said they’ve seen cracks in the area since 2016. Officials said they're doing what they can to make sure the situation is not only fixed but that it won’t happen again.
They said the hole has been stabilized so it won't expand or impact other parts of the road.
A 48-inch corrugated plastic pipe will be used to repair portions of the existing metal corrugated pipe.
While the issue wasn't under JEA jurisdiction, its utility crews were helping out.
The JTA announced that its eastbound Route 9 line would be detoured from the area until further notice and that buses will not be able to stop in the area and bus stops will be missed. Paratransit service in the area is also affected. Anyone with questions about bus service in the area should call 904-630-3100.